


The Gold Motel: Steps Closer

by mrgoldsdearie



Series: The Gold Motel [15]
Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Horror, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-12
Updated: 2016-04-12
Packaged: 2018-06-01 22:07:03
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,979
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6538012
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mrgoldsdearie/pseuds/mrgoldsdearie
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Rumbelle AU inspired by the movie Psycho - The Cassidy\Swan family settles into the Gold’s manor, beginning a new era of family at the motel. Norman is furious about the medication added onto his treatment and Robert makes a huge decision that will help their path to return home.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Gold Motel: Steps Closer

**Author's Note:**

> I’m happy with the pace this story is going and I think everything is working to my plan. I can see the happy ending drawing closer, but everyone still needs times and they still have a lot of things to talk about before they can get there. I hope all who reads enjoys this chapter as much as I enjoyed writing it. Happy reading!

Belle comes down from the manor’s second floor, holding Baelee in her arms. Finding Neal and his family waiting for her in the living room. She stands in the foyer watching the family of three interact with each other. There's never been so many relatives in the house at once.

“Dad, she's not gonna be mad if I put my stuff on the table? Or obsessed about using coasters?” Henry Swan asks his father, plopping his heavy bag on the floor. “Mom’s side of the family has a lot of relatives like that. It's weird.”

“No, Belle is a very kindhearted lady. She doesn't get upset about superficial things,” Neal explains. “And you shouldn't talk about your mother's family like that.” Tassels his son hair. “They're your family too.”

“But Henry is right,” Emma chimes in, taking a seat on the antique upholstered couch. “It is weird.”

“Emma…” Neal chuckles with a smile, gradually shaking his head. Nether of them are wrong, but he won't admit it.

Neal peeps up into the foyer way, noticing Belle standing with his little sister. Instantly he takes hold of his son's shoulders, circles him around to face her, and introduces his son to his father’s wife. “Henry, this your grandma Belle.”

Belle gapes like a deer caught in high beam lights and volts rush down her spine the instant he uses the word _grandma_. It catches her completely by surprise and she haven’t realized that she was a genuine grandmother until this moment. She’s only thirty-two, but she's never felt so old.

She looks the ten year old child dead in his deep brown eyes and sees her husband behind them. The Gold family bloodline honestly runs strong.

Belle smiles, unsure of what to say. Norman and Robert should both be here for this introduction. It breaks her heart that they're not.

“It's nice to meet you, grandma Belle.” Henry extends his hand to shake hers.

“It's a pleasure to meet you too, Henry.” She wipes the sweat from her palm and shakes the child's hand. “You can just call me, Belle,” she insists.

“Alright, Belle,” he says with a shy smile.

“I imagine your grandfather looked just like you when he was a boy.”

“It's possible.” He scratches his head of thick chestnut waves. “My dad said I looked like him when he was my age.”

“I can believe that,” she smiles and gazes at the baby girl in her arms.

Baelee, Neal and Henry all have the same big brown eyes as Norman and Robert.

“This little one.” Belle bounces the baby on her hip. “Is technically your aunt. Her name is Baelee.”

“My dad told me about you.” He gently shakes the baby's little hand.

“What did he say about her?”, Belle asks.

“When he saw her it was love at first sight, and he never imaged having a little sister, but he's happy to have one.”

“That was kind for your father to say.” Her eyes smile up at Neal.

“It was only the truth,” Neal replies. “I couldn’t wait to come back and see her again, and you, and my fathers… By the way, where are they?”

“I'm looking forward to meeting him - _them_ ,” Henry corrects himself. “They saved my dad’s life and I’d like to thank them.”

“Umm…  About that…” . Belle paces to the playpen by the couch and sits Baelee down with her favorite puzzle toys, then steps to Neal. “I'm don't know how much you want your son to know,” she says hushed.

He beams at her with great concern. “What's going on?”

“Umm…”. She peeks back at Henry and Emma from over her shoulder, unsure if she should say aloud.

Emma recognizes Belle’s expression of uncertainty all too well. So she distracts Henry from their conversation. “Hey kid, why don't you come over here and get to know your aunt. Even though she's younger than you, she still has the power to tell you what to do.”

“No she can't,” Henry says, stepping closer to the playpen. “She's just a baby.”

“I have a feeling you're gonna learn a lot about babies during your time here,” Emma smirks and nods to her boyfriend. Giving him the go ahead to talk privately with Belle.

Neal whispers, “Thank you,” to Emma and glides out into the hall with Belle. “What's wrong?”, he asks sincerely.

She takes a deep breath, “Well,” sighs out. “Norman and Robert won't be home, not for awhile…. A lot has happened since you left and…. Norman checked himself into the mental hospital.”

“What?" He blinks, taken aback by the news. "They’re locked up?” He never imaged coming back to the motel to find the family he adored in such a dire situation.

“They’re getting the help they’ve needed for a long time and it was Norman’s choice to go. He couldn’t go on with the way things were - battling back and forth with himself. He couldn't do it, not anymore.” Belle reveals, explaining everything from the depths of her heart. “Some things happened between us - some of it my fault - and Norman saw that something had to change. The truth is, all three of us couldn’t do it on our own anymore.”

“I don’t know what to say.”

“You don't have to say anything. Everything has been building up to this for years.” She wipes away the tear that trickles down her cheek. “We thought we could control it. There was a time when Norman was integrated for almost three years and it was just him and myself. We had a good hold on things for awhile, but it was only on the surface…. Norman’s so ill…. So many horrible things has happened to him. He needed more help than I could give him. I've been in over my head for the longest time.”

“It's okay, Belle. Sometimes, life just get away from us and we need a little help.”

“Thank you. That’s sweet of you to say.” She gazes into the living room, witnessing Baelee and Henry playing together for the first time.

Baelee tosses the pieces of her puzzle ball at Henry, as he dodges the multi shaped blocks. He gathers them from the floor and gives them back so she can hurl them across the room once again.

Belle smiles, snickering lightly at the innocent, playful, moment between them. She can imagine Norman, or Robert, jumping in to help Henry collect the blocks.

“I know you brought your family to meet them.” Belle turns back to Neal. “And I'm sorry things aren't the way you expected them to be…. I had no idea you were coming back. Otherwise, I would have let you know and asked you not to come.”

“No…. It's alright, Belle. I still would have came anyways.” Nothing could have changed his mind about taking this trip. “You and the baby shouldn't be in this house alone. Especially after what happened with that lunatic couple.”

“It has been lonely and I've been scared at times,” she admits.

“You don't have to be alone anymore.” Neal wraps his arms around her. “You have family here now and we'll help anyway we can.”

“Thank you,” she gently pulls out of his warm, friendly, embrace. “I’m so happy you're all here.”

“We’re glad to be here too,” he smiles genuinely.

Suddenly in the living room, a small ruckus break out between Baelee and Henry.

Henry wanted to show his baby aunt the proper way to play with the puzzle. But Baelee thinks she knows what's best and that's chucking every piece around the house.

“Oh crap,” Neal gripes. “They’re fighting.”

Emma referees the mini match, picking up the screaming girl from the playpen and rests her on the floor.

Baelee wants everything to go her way and being on the floor is not what she was expecting. She wanted to snatch every block from Henry’s hand and get him to chase them for her once again. She adored watching him sprint about the room, dodging the ammo of her destruction. But having the freedom of being outside of the playpen is something little Baelee can live with for now. Thanks to Emma, at least she has the chance to get all the pieces her heart desires.

“Bae can be so bossy,” Belle says with a nonchalant shrug. “She gets that from Robert… and me.”

“I can see her getting it from Robert, but from you?… Nah.”

“You must have forgotten about the day we went to the festival.”

“When you tossed Robert clothes outside of the window?” He crosses his arms, looking back at the children. “Yeah I remember, but that wasn't bossy. That was just rude,” he jokes.

“You're right about that,” she laughs.

Though she didn't think it was funny when it happened, enough time has passed for them to make a harmless joke about it.

“If you don't mind keeping an eye on Bae,” she says, winding up their conversation so she can prepare the house for everyone's stay. “I’ll check to make sure the rooms are in order. So you guys can get settled in.”

“I don't ever mind looking out for my baby sister," Neal assures. As long as he's in the house, she will always have a second pair of hands for the baby.

“Thank you.”

“You're welcome.”

She turns and heads to the stairway, but quickly circles back to Neal. Stopping him before he returned to the living room. “I was thinking of putting Henry in the guest room - where you stayed the last time.” She gives an explanation of where she plans for everyone to sleep.

Belle knows the spirit of this old house can be daunting at times. So many terrible things has happened behind its walls. But she's going to do the best to make sure everyone feels comfortable within them.

“Because, the only other free room is my office and it's down here. I’m not comfortable with a ten year old sleeping on the first floor of this place by himself.”

“I completely understand that,” Neal answers agreeingly. “I feel more comfortable with him up stairs with you and the baby.”

“Good…”, she nods.

The manor is so large and spacious that one could easily feel alone in it even if there are others inside. And on the first floor, especially, that feeling can be haunting. The last thing Belle wants is for Henry to feel unnerved during his first night in the house.

“The office is pleasant and cozy,” Belle goes on to say. “You and Emma will rest nicely. Norman restored all the antique furniture for the office as a wedding present to me. He wanted me to have my own quiet space to read.”

Belle’s mind drifts for a moment, remembering the day Norman revealed the office to her.

 

 

> _After spending most of the day behind the locked French doors of the manor, working on the final touches for the new addition to the house,  Norman blindly leads Belle into her new office._
> 
> _They stand in the middle of the room, with the faint scent of fresh paint and dried wood stain still lingering in the air. Norman nibbles on her earlobe, keeping his right hand firmly over her eyes. He doesn't want her seeing anything until he's ready to show._
> 
> _“Mmm… Sweetie… The suspense is killing me.” She lifts her left hand and reaches behind, cupping the back of his neck._
> 
> _“I know, dearie,” he whispers thickly, and clearly, in her ear. “And I'm enjoying making you wait.”_
> 
> _“But I'm not,” she bits her bottom lip in anticipation._
> 
> _“I c-c-can see you can't st-stand it anymore.” He buries his face into her neck, peppering her with tiny sweet kisses._
> 
> _“No…”, she sniggers, squirming in her place. His soft lips tickle against her flesh. “I can't…”_
> 
> _“Okay, my love.” He yearned to see her at the point where she could wait no longer and now she’s there. “I’ll count to th-three… One…”_
> 
> _“Two…”. She helps with the counting. She has the feeling he'll keep stalling._
> 
> _“Three.” He removes his hand from her eyes and steps back, giving her the full view._
> 
> _She opens her eyes and takes in the sights of all the hard work her husband has done during these first three months of their marriage. The calming color of a cloudless sky brightens the once dingy walls. Every detail on all the furniture are perfectly restored, Norman has an impeccable eye for this craft. The last time she saw these items they were nothing but a pile of dusty and broken junk._
> 
> _“It's absolutely beautiful,” she chokes back tears. Never has she received such a grand gift in her life. “I love it.” She hugs him dearly. “And I love you.” Kisses him passionately._
> 
> _“I'm s-s-so happy you love it,” he speaks upon her lips, cheeks blooming a soft pink tinge._
> 
> _“I do, sweetie, I do,” softly kisses the tip of his nose._
> 
> _“We sh-sh-should christen the room.”_
> 
> _“That's a wonderful idea,” she smirks, combing her fingers through his silvery hair. “Which book should I read to you first?”_
> 
> _“We'll, it is a chris-christening, Belle. It's only right for you to read your f-f-favorite book.”_
> 
> _“Alright. I'll go get ‘Her Handsome Hero’.”_
> 
> _“And I'll wait h-h-here until you come back.”_
> 
> _“I wouldn't want it any other way.”_

 

Belle quickly pulls herself out of her head. Every day since they've been apart, memories of her and Norman's past have suddenly sprung into her thoughts. It's all just a sign of how profoundly she misses her husband.

“Anyway,” she says, shaking the memories from her mind, and continues the chat about the sleeping arrangements with Neal. “Norman put a couch with a pull out bed in the office. I never understood why he did that. I never slept in there, but I guess he probably knew this house would be filled with family, or something, someday, and we’d need the extra bed.”

“That's a lovely thought, Belle,” Neal says. “I wouldn't be surprised if that’s why he did it.”

“I don't why he did it, but it is a nice thought,” she replies. “Okay… I should go, because I can stand here and talk to you all day.”

“That doesn't sound so bad,” he chortles at his reply, flashing a grin. “And you do have a little over two weeks to do so.”

She giggles, hiding her own toothy grin behind her right hand. “You're so sweet. I think you get that from Norman.” She slowly takes a few steps backwards. “Okay… I’ll be back in a minute.”

“Alright.”

Belle prepares the rooms for their stay and the Cassidy/Swan family settle into the Gold’s manor. They spend the evening getting to know each other and ordering take out from Granny’s Diner.

##  **\-----**

The morning sun rises over the pristine white building of the Storybrooke Mental Hospital. Each day starts with all the patients rising at six-thirty for the administration of the morning round of medications.

Behind the locked door of room one-eighty-seven, Norman Gold sits on the edge of his bed, waiting patiently for the doors to unlock. Six-thirty A.M. isn't too early of a rise for Norman. He’s used to these hours at home.

The little tray slot on the door opens and the nurse slides a medicine tray through. All medications must be taken before the patients are to leave their room.

Jefferson Hatter jumps up from his bed and shuffles to the tray. He's the only patient in the room that's on a daily medication regimen. He shoots back the medical cocktail of antidepressants and anxiety pills, then notices an extra cup on the tray. “Norman? - Robert? … I think this one's yours.”

“It's Norman,” he kindly corrects him. “And that's n-n-not mine.”

“Well, I don't take little round green pills,” Jefferson says, sitting back on his bed.

“I d-d-don't take the kind of medications they have for my contention,” Norman explains. “I tried th-th-them a few years ago and I d-d-didn't like the way they made me feel. My doctor knows this and he assured that my treatment w-w-won't involve meds.”

“I think you need to talk to the nurse, because those are not mine, Norman.”

Norman rolls his eyes, scratching his scruffy face, and stands to his feet, stepping up to the door. He knocks on the window to gain the nurse's attention.

She turns away from counting pills on her cart and gazes at Norman through the glass. “Yes, Mr. Gold,” she answers.

“You g-g-gave this room an extra cup of pills,” he calmly informs the nurse of her mistake. “Jefferson is the only one on m-m-medications here in th-th-this room. You need to take these back.”

“Those green pills are yours, Mr. Gold,” she answers.

“I am not on medication,” he replies clearly and boldly. “My doctor knows why.”

“Your doctor prescribed these for you.”

“I d-d-didn't talk about this with my doctor.” He pushes the tray through the slot.

“Maybe he had a conversation about it with your other half,” she says smug, returning the tray to his side of the door.

“My wife wouldn't agree to this.” He shoves the tray back.

“I wasn't speaking of your wife.” She returns the tray and locks the little door to the slot.

He grinds his teeth, staring the nurse dead in the eye. “Papa would never agree to this either,” he argues, desperately holding in the livid fumes slowly brewing within him. “He knows I don't want to take heavy meds. We both don't.”

“They’re not anything heavy, I can assure you,” the nurse states, keeping her composer. She recognizes all the warning signs of an agitated patient. “They're only to help you with your blackouts.”

“You're missing my point!”, Norman snaps. “I didn't talk about this with the doctor. If I have to take meds for blackouts, or anything, I need to be spoken to about it. You can't just change my treatment.”

“Well Mr. Gold, you're on the chart to take them and this door won't open until you do. Patients who don't take their medication don't come out. Those are the rules.”

“I need to speak to my doctor,” he demands.

“You can, as soon as you take your meds.”

“I don't want them!”, he viciously barks, spit misting the glass in his furry.

“Then you won't get out,” she makes clear.

Norman breathes heavily, staring coldly at the nurse through the glass window. Dismayed of the reasoning behind the doctor putting pills on his schedule. This manipulation of forced medication is not what he checked himself into the hospital for.

He can see that refusing to take the pills will only insure that he spend his day behind these four dreary walls. And he doesn't want to feel more isolated than he already does.

Norman picks up the tiny pill cup and quickly shoots them to the back of his mouth, then chases them down with the cup of water that was also on the tray.

“Since you refused to take them,” the nurse says. “I have to check to make sure they're not still in your mouth… Open up.”

Norman opens his mouth and lifts his tongue showing that the pills are no more.

“That's a good boy,” she announces with a nod. “This door will unlock in a few minutes and I’ll find someone to make the appointment for you to speak to your doctor today.” She turns back to her medications cart and pushes it down the hall.

Norman rushes to the bathroom and hunches over the toilet, forcing out the pills from his stomach. He hacks and coughs with his fingers down his throat until the pills hit the bottom of the water.

“Norman…”.  Jefferson looks on with great concern and confusion. “But they were just for your blackouts.”

Norman glares up, wiping the drool from his lips onto the sleeve of his white shirt. “That's not the fucking point.”

##  **\-----**

After breakfast in the cafeteria, Norman is escorted to his appointment to speak with Dr. Merlin.

He treads into the office of soothing ocean blue walls and stands before the solid oak wood desk - which is covered in what Dr. Merlin likes to call, _organized chaos_. With the most gorgeous view of Storybrooke he's seen in this entire facility, Dr. Merlin's office normally makes Norman feel serene. But today he feels on edge.

Merlin sits at his desk, typing up the final few paragraphs of the psychoses report he's been working on since taking the Golds case. “Why don't you have a seat, Norman,” the doctor offers, turning his attention to his patient, clearing a few papers out of his way.

“I d-d-don't want to sit,” Norman refuses his gesture, standing up straight with his hands behind his back. He doesn't plan to stay and chat with the doctor, not after the morning he's had.

“That's fine… I see that you're upset and you have every right to be. I know why you've asked for this meeting.”

“Good. Th-th-that saves me from telling you.”

“I suppose it does.” He folds his hands on the desktop. “I'm going to be honest with you, Norman. I didn't know that they were going to be giving you the medications this morning. I did prescribe them to you, yes. But the nurse was suppose to wait until later today to give them to you and also give you a proper explanation about their purpose.”

“Well that d-d-didn't happen.”

“Obviously not.”

“You sh-sh-shouldn't have prescribed them to me until we talked about it.”

Norman has spoken to the doctor about his blackouts in their last session. He remembered how one of the hazes he came out of, left him with the feeling that Belle was frightened of him. He hated the idea of his wife being scared.

Dr. Merlin only recently learned about a pill that could help reduce the effects of blackouts, but he didn't research it until after their session. He thought he was doing something to help Norman by giving him the meds. The last thing he ever wanted was to hurt him.  

“Honestly, I didn't think giving you this medication would be problem for you and I am sorry,” he apologizes wholeheartedly. “I truly thought you'd be open to controlling the blackouts. Getting them under control could help with your memory.”

“I d-d-don't have an issue with getting them under control…. My issue is the way you went be-behind my back and f-f-forcing me to take something I didn't ask for.”

“Again, I apologize. You were not supposed to be given them until later. Because I know about this facility's medication rule. It's a safety guideline that's in place because some patients can be dangerous without their meds. So they ensure that everyone takes them before coming out for the day. Which is why I'm upset with myself and the staff. This shouldn't have happened.”

Dr. Merlin, along with the other doctors and medical staff, have no say on the rules of the facility. That responsibility lies solely on another.   

“I thought that you trusted me, Norman,” Dr. Merlin continues his explanation. “Trusted me enough to make the decision on trying the blackout meds. They are extremely mild, nothing compared to anything you may have taken in the past…. But you are right, I should have had a conversation about this with you first. And I shouldn't have trusted something like this in the hands of another. I was completely wrong and I made a bad judgment call.” The doctor speaks every word with sincerity.

Each session Dr. Merlin has had with Norman has been a building level of trust between them. The doctor didn't deliberately try to hurt Norman and ruin the trust they had blossoming. This situation was a misunderstanding among the staff. Dr. Merlin does plan to resolve this issue so that it never happens again.

Norman and Robert are the doctor's first D.I.D. patients. And even with help from his colleagues and the extensive history of Norman’s past treatment with Hopper, this experience is a learning process for Dr. Merlin. He knew the Golds would be a difficult case, but he wanted to face this challenge and help someone who dearly needed it.

Merlin, is determined to give Norman and Robert his best care. He's never failed a patient and the Golds won't be his first.

Norman stares at the doctor with a glazed look in his eyes, slowly shifting all of his weight to lift. Allowing his other self to take the wheel.

“Judgment call,” Robert Gold snarling out his words, turning his head away from the doctor. “You made a bad judgment call?” Crosses his arms. “This is why I didn't want him coming here.”

“Yes, it was a bad judgment call and I feel horrible about it,” Dr. Merlin insists.

Robert rests his hands on the desk and slowly leans in, lowering his brow. “But you don't fucking understand.”

“Then help me understand it, Robert.”

Though he's never had a private session with Robert, Dr. Merlin has studied his behavior outside of the office and has learned to tell the physical differences between the two.

“You want Norman to trust you, yet you do nothing but give him a reason not to. How is he supposed to believe that you can help us now?”

“I'm going to have to work hard on regaining his trust, and yours.”

“I don't have to trust you,” Robert growls through his uneven teeth. “He does.”

“I believe you do have to trust me too. Because you just said ‘how is he supposed to believe you could help _us_ now’….  I think you want and need help just as much as he.” Dr. Merlin gives his honest opinion.

This is the first real conversation the doctor has had with Robert and he knows Robert is just as broken as Norman. But the doctor also understands that Robert is broken in a different way from Norman.

They are two different men. Who deserve to have their own treatments with the hopes of reaching a common goal.

“I know you have things you feel you need to get off of your chest,” Dr. Merlin goes on to say. “Things you can't tell Norman. Things you need to tell him, but need a little help doing it. I'm here for that. I'm here to help you as much as I am for him. That's why I have to gain your trust too…. That is, if you both allow me to keep treating you.”

Robert stands up straight from leaning over the desk, squinting at the doctor and crosses his arms, slightly tilting his head to the right. He thought Dr. Merlin was just another smug therapist ready to administer “help”, without actually giving any. He was ready to tear the good doctor a whole new asshole.

But Robert sees the man before him as someone who's made a mistake, who is also greatly remorseful of his action and wants to help correct them. Something he feels they have in common. There's more about this misunderstanding that makes Dr. Merlin seem human - something that Robert never saw in Dr. Hopper.

Robert Gold still doesn't trust the man as far as he can toss him out of the large second story window of his office, but he can see a level of respect.

“Okay, doctor,” Robert says, hoping he won't regret this decision. He wants his son to get the help he needs and also himself.

Robert thinks the doctor might be able to assist in helping him find the best way to tell Norman about what he did to Malcolm. And also why he felt he had to protect Norman the way he has for so many years. Because at the moment, Robert is clueless on how to do this.

Robert doesn't want Norman to think that the reason he's telling him the truth is to hurt him and possibly find a way of having Belle to himself. Because right now in Norman's current state of jealousy, he will most likely perceive all of this as a lie or a ploy to ruin his marriage.

Robert doesn't plan on revealing every gory detail to the doctor, just enough to help him find the best way in handling the situation with Norman. But Robert, however, will reveal every single detail to his son. Norman needs to know everything about the biggest secret in the family.

“You can keep treating us,” Robert finally says.

“Is that the decision from both of you?”, Dr. Merlin asks. He doesn't want to do anything without the agreement of both Robert and Norman.

“Yes it is…” Robert nods. “Norman has been here the whole time. But I asked him if I could talk to you and he agreed upon it.”

The doctor's eyes widen. He never connected their switch to them agreeing on something together. “That's why you two switched?”, he asks.

“Yes…”

“That's amazing,” his face lights up with awe. “Small steps like that will get you both closer to peacefully coexisting.”

“Yes, and I realize that now.” Robert slowly leans back over the desk. “But let's get one thing straight, doctor,” his voice returns to that deep threatening tone. “Norman likes you, he felt betrayed by what you did, but he likes you. Normally hurting my son would mean that I'd have to rip your throat out…. But you made a mistake and you felt remorse about that mistake. I think you really what to make it up to both of us. That’s the only reason why I agreed to letting you continue to treat us. Because you're just a man, we all make mistakes and can be forgiven. I think you might be able to understand us.” He lowers his brow. “You better not make me regret our decision.”

Dr. Merlin stands from his seat with his hands behind his back and looks Robert in the eye as a sign of mutual respect. “Thank you both for giving me another chance.”

“Yeah,” Robert snarls with a twitch in his upper lip, stepping back from the desk. He turns away from the doctor and limps towards the office door.

“Just a moment, Robert.” Merlin stops him before placing his hand on the door knob. “I'm going to have to start seeing you regularly. The same as I've been doing with Norman. You can't truly coexist unless I can help both of you, separately, and together.”

“I know that, doctor.” Robert opens the door and limps out.

“Another thing, Robert,” Dr. Merlin stops him again and meets him at the door. “I'm going to look into this issue with the medications this morning and find the person who didn’t follow my instructions.”

“I don't know exactly who it was, but you might want to start your search with nurse Blue,” he divulges. “She was the one handing out the meds.”

Merlin nods, gracious to have a place to start.

Robert turns away from the doctor and shuffles back to their room to retrieve his cane.

##  **\-----**

“Hey, sweetie,” Belle says, answering a call from the Storybrooke Mental Hospital.

The day is drawing towards an end and she almost always receives a call before dinner time at the hospital.

“Hello, my love,” Norman answers back. “How's our daughter?”

“She's doing well. She crawls around the house yelling your name all the time, but she's happy when she's doing it. I gave her your black and white checkered shirt yesterday and she took a nap on it.”

“Really?”, Norman asks proudly.

“Mhm,” she hums. “It still smells like you.”

“I actually f-f-forgot to pack that shirt. I'm glad I d-d-did.”

“Me too.”

“It's so g-g-good to hear your be-beautiful voice, Belle.”

“It's nice to hear your sweet little stutter.”

“Oh, Belle,” he says breathy.

“Well it is,” she giggles. “And I bet your cheeks just blushed.”

“They d-d-did.”

“Good…”

“I'm sorry I c-c-couldn't call you yesterday.”

“It's alright, Norman. I understand that sometimes you can't get to the phone. Just call me when you can and it can be anytime of day.”

“Alright,” he softly says.

“Okay, sweetie… So, how was your day?”

“Umm, I d-d-don't really wanna talk about my day.” He doesn't want to reveal what happened to him this morning. It would do nothing but upset her.

“But I want to hear about it,” she insists.

“You really d-d-don't.”

The tone in his voice only strikes her as alarming. “Did something happen to you today?”

“No, no, d-d-dearie,” he tries to assure her. “Nothing for you to worry a-about and nothing that d-d-didn't get handled.”

“Are you sure you're okay?”, she whimpers. She's frightened everyday that something dreadful will happen to him.

“Yes, my love, please d-d-don't worry.”

“Okay, honey, I'll try not to,” she sniffs. “I'm always worrying about you.”

“I know, Belle, but please d-d-don't cry. Dry away th-th-those tears, okay? I'm alright, I promise.”

“Okay.”  She wipes the tears from her cheeks. “I miss you so much and so does Bae. The house can be lifeless without you.”

“I miss both of you too and I'll b-b-be home soon. Papa and I are t-t-taking small steps together and each one g-g-gets us closer to home.”

“That's amazing to hear,” she replies pleased. “I'm so proud of you, both of you.”

“Thank you, Belle… Why d-d-don't you tell me what’s g-g-going on with you at home?”

“Well, I have a couple of things to tell you… One of them is really good news.”

“I could use some g-g-good news.”  

“Neal is back in town,” she reveals, excited.

Norman's heart stops and he nearly drops the phone from his hand.

“Norman are you still there?”, she asks.

“Yes, yes I’m here,” he quickly responds.

“Did you hear what I said?”

“Yes I d-d-did… Is he really there?”

“He is… He came back like he said he would. He came to see you and he brought his family.”

“He did?,” Norman chokes back tears. He knew Neal would keep his word of returning, but Norman didn't expect him to so, so soon.

“Yes, sweetie. Your grandson is downstairs playing with your daughter right now.”

“I c-c-can't believe it.”

“You'll believe when they come to see you.”

“They’re c-c-coming here to see me?” His heart thumps in his narrow chest. The hospital is the last place he wants to meet his grandson for the first time.

“They're coming with me on Friday. If that's alright with you. I know that the hospital isn’t an ideal place for a first meeting, but they're only here for two weeks. And… let's be just honest with each other… you're not getting out in two weeks.”

“You're right, I probably won't be g-g-getting out in two weeks.” It pains him to say it, but he knows it's true. “Seeing them here is the last th-th-thing I want, but I want to see them…. So it's alright with m-m-me that you bring them.”

“Are you sure, honey?”

“Yes, more th-th-than anything,” he assure her wholeheartedly.

“Okay, we'll all be there to see you on Friday.”

“I can't wait… Oh, Belle… This wasn't just g-g-good news you’ve given me. It was fantastic news.”

“That's good. It feels so nice to know that your happy.”

“I th-th-think this is the happiest I've ever b-b-been here.” Belle has given him something more to anticipate at the end of the week.

“I loved hearing you say that, sweetie.”

“C-c-can you tell me about him, Belle?”, Norman asks, desperate to know more. “Please tell m-m-me about my grandson.”

“You'll be meeting him on Friday, so I don't want to tell you too much, but he's a very charming boy. He's intelligent, funny, beautiful, and he loves the hell out of Bae.”

“I can't wait to meet him.” Norman dries his teary eyes. “It's in-incredible how you can feel love for someone you've n-n-never met. It's such a strange feeling, b-b-but it's a powerful one.”

“That's was such a beautiful emotion you've just expressed,” she smiles. Even though he can not see it, her smile is just for him.

“It was only the truth… I really d-d-don't think I could get any happier than now.”

“That's good…”. Belle only wishes he could feel this way everyday. “Henry’s mother is an amazing woman as well.”

“I can imagine she is.”

“When I met her yesterday afternoon, something seemed vaguely familiar about her.”

“Really?”, he asks, switching the phone from his left ear to the right.

“Yes… Her appearance was very recognizable to me and you'll never guess why.”

“Tell me, Belle. I d-d-don't think I could guess even if I tried.

“You'd be wrong anyway,” she teases him.

“We b-b-both know that,” he guffaws.

“Yes,” she giggles. “Okay, I'll tell you… Before she started her bail bonds business, Emma was a highway sheriff. The day I met you, she was the sheriff that pointed me to the direction of Storybrooke.”

Belle realized over their diner of Granny’s take out, why Emma looked so familiar. Trying to figure out how she knew Emma racked her brain for hours. But the instant Emma mentioned that she was a highway sheriff in the story of how she and Neal reconnected with each other, (She stopped his car because it fit the description of a stolen one.) Belle knew exactly when and where they've met before.

“Wait…”, Norman stops her for a moment. “Are you telling m-m-me that we probably wouldn't have met if it w-w-wasn't for my grandson’s mother?”

“Yes, that's exactly what I'm telling you. I don't know if I would have stopped in Storybrooke had she not pulled over to check up on me.”

“Huh…”, he huffs. “This is an extraordinary coincidence.”

“I know and she was just as surprised as you sound. We all were once I finally figured out where I remembered her from.”

“It's almost unbelievable how ours lives c-c-connected in this way.”

“It truly is, and you know, it's also amazing.”

“That's true too… Thank you, Belle.”

“For what?”

“I felt like I n-n-needed to thank you.”

“But I didn't do anything.”

“You d-d-did. You’ve brightened my day.”

“Oh, Norman,” she sighs out breathy. “You've brightened mine too and you're most welcome.”

Belle goes on to tell Norman about her decision to start therapy with Dr. Hopper. Expressing how she felt a weight was lifted from her shoulders after the first session.

Norman is proud of his wife. He thinks this is one of the best things she can do for herself. The life she's lived these last few months have be daunting. The death and horrors hounding this family has taken a lot from her and Norman understands that she needs a friendly ear that isn't his own or Robert’s.

“You've made my d-d-day considerably much better, Belle,” Norman says, delighted.

“I know, honey. You've already told me.”

“We'll I w-w-wanted to tell you again.”

“I'm not bothered by it." she chuckles.

“I knew you weren't… I'm so proud of you about the th-th-therapy and I hope you keep going.”

“I am. Dr. Hopper helped me so much already.”

The doctor helped Belle realize her love for both Norman and Robert, and started to help her get past the guilt of loving two men. When she finally confesses her love to Robert, she will make sure that Norman knows as well.

“That's amazing Belle…”. Norman replies, looking up to the clock at the nurses station - where all the calls are monitored. There's only thirty minutes left before dinner will is served.  “I'm g-g-going to go now, my love. So Papa can have the rest of th-th-this time to talk to you…. He took a b-b-big step for himself too and I'm proud of him as well, for this at least.”

“You're proud of him?” She thought she'd never hear him say the words. “What did he do?”

“I'll let him t-t-tell you himself.”

“Okay, honey. It's so sweet how you're trying to understand all of this between us and being open about it. I know this is difficult for you - having your wife care for another.”

“It is, b-b-but I think your happiness it worth it. The pain will stop someday.”

“It will.”

“I'm sorry you c-c-couldn't come see us on Saturday,” he quickly adds, needing to get it off of his chest.

“It's okay, Norman, that's wasn't your fault.”

“I know, but I st-still needed to apologize for it.”

“I understand, apology dearly accepted.”

“Thank you, Belle… You kiss the little g-g-giggle monster for me, okay?”

“I will.”

“Kiss her a lot and t-t-tickle her little tummy.”

“I will, sweetie,” she laughs.

“Okay… I'll talk you tomorrow, my love.”

“Alright.”

“I love you, Belle.”

“I love you too, Norman.”

Norman instantly hangs up, before he could talk himself into changing his mind. He falls back against the wall lined with phones and buries his face in his hands.

##  **\-----**

Belle answers the phone nearly five minutes after Norman disconnected their call. “Hey.”

“Hey,” Robert Gold replies.

“Robert, is that you?”, she asks, unsure about the tone in his voice. It’s the first time they’ve spoken to each other on the phone.

“Yes,” he answers softly.

“You don’t sound like yourself on the phone.”

“I don't really like talking on phones.”

“You don't?”, she says in awe.

“No.”

“I didn't know that.”

“I never told you.”

“May I ask why?”

Robert stands in silence, and turns his back to everyone in this wing of the facility, trying to make it feel as though he is alone in the room. “I don't really know. I guess it's cause you hear a person's voice, but you don't get to see their face. I like to see the face of the person I'm talking to, especially yours.”

Belle’s heart sinks to the floor. She would have never thought this of someone very confident and who isn't afraid to say what's on their mind. Surprised that he would sound so timid.

“Is this why you didn't want to call me before?”, she questions, seeking to learn more.

“That’s part of the reason, and another is that I did think the phone calls should be for just you and Norman.”

“Oh, Robert… I wouldn't have gotten upset about you not calling me had I known this.”

“I know, but that's okay. It’s actually a good thing I didn't call you. Especially with the nature of the conversation we would have had - about the cellar. Every call is monitored here.”

Belle takes in a sudden sharp breath over the phone, instantly realizing what she never would have realized last week. She would have openly told everything about her project in the cellar. With the intense emotions running through her, she most likely wouldn't have stopped to listen to anything he would have said. “You're right.”

“I know, but let's not mention it again.”

“Okay.”

“I will keep calling you on the phone, sweetheart. I do love hearing your voice.”

Belle thinks for a moment. Maybe there's another way they can talk about the things others don't need to know. “You know what, Robert? I could write to you, both of you.”

“Write?”

“Yes…”, she snickers. “With pen and paper.”

“I know that, Belle, but why?”

“Because it's more intimate. They don't read your mail, do they?”

“I don't know,” he answers. “We haven't gotten any here.”

“We should try it and you can let me know if it's been opened or not.”

“Alright,” he grins in the phone. Writing letters to each other is a perfect idea.

“I have a feeling you just smiled,” she teases.

“I did, a little.”

“Good, because so did I, but mine wasn't just a little.”

“I knew that, Belle.”

“Since we have the letters, you don't have to call me that much if you don't feel comfortable about it.”

“But I'll still call you,” he urges.

“Okay.... That's good.... I'm happy to hear that.”

Robert and Belle continue their conversation with why Norman was proud of him. Robert’s choice of going to therapy and speaking with the doctor on his own is a huge step. He never trusted therapist, and Dr. Merlin is still not on his list of those he trusts, but he's going to give him and this therapy thing a real try. Just this decision alone, pushes Norman and Robert’s treatment in the right direction.

“I'm proud of you too, Robert,” Belle says, assuring him that he's made the right choice. “This is all going to work out in the long run, you'll see.”

“I hope so.”

Belle also tells Robert about Neal and his family’s venture to Storybrooke. And how they will all be seeming him and Norman on Friday.

Robert is excited to hear the news, but he's a bit lost for words in this moment. Hopefully he won't be as speechless the instant he meets his only grandson.

“You're probably ready to get off of this phone, aren't you?”, Belle asks, finding it sweet how quiet and almost shy he's been. Robert is never this way in person. Moments like this only further show Belle how both Robert and Norman carry characteristics of the other.

“Yes, but it's not because of you. Knowing that they're listening makes this all feel even more strange.”

“I understand that… Will I talk to you tomorrow?”

“You will,” he promises.

“Thank you.”

“You don't have to thank me,” he whispers. “I love you, Belle.”

“I know you do.”

“And I wait for the day to hear you say it back.”

“With the way everything seems to he going, that day isn't too far away.”

“Good… I'll see you on Friday, sweetheart.”

“And I'll see you too.”

Robert waits until he hears the phone click, disconnecting the call, and he hangs up immediately after. He takes his cane from the wall and makes his way towards the cafeteria to see what mystery meat is on the menu tonight. But his path is blocked by the three female acquaintances he made last week.

“Get outta my way,” he growls, completely annoyed by the sight of them.

He hasn't seen them since the night of the food fight and he was hoping Mel had gotten the picture about never touching him. It's in her best interest to say away completely.

Though the food fight was the most fun he's had behind these walls, his new path through treatment - and his promise to Norman to never be involved in anything like the fight again - will not mix well with association with these ladies.

“Who were you talking to?”,  Mel asks, crossing her arms and shifting her weight to the left. “From the way you were hunched over the phone, the call must have been very private.”

“The calls should be private, but every resident here knows they're not,” he's snarks back at her.

“That's true…”, she sighs. “So, it shouldn't be an issue with saying who you were calling. It's just a simple question.” She shrugs, nonchalantly. “You know, since we were able to show you that we do know how to have fun here.”

“You’re right about that,” he replies with a fiendish smirk, pointing at her. “And you've all proven me wrong. You do know how to have fun here.” He leans on his cane, tilting into her nearly face to face. “But having fun is not what I longer require. Not if I'm going to help my son and be back home with my girlfriend. So excuse me, lassies.” He struts through them, causing them to move out of his way, breaking the wall they've built before him. “Whatever we had here is over.”

“That's what you think,” Mel gripes under her breath, staring daggers through his back as he limps down the hall.


End file.
